Permutation switch for automobiles



Dec. 25 1923.- 1,478,394!- T. A. PANGBURN I PERMUTATION SWITCH FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Oct. 51 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 T19 .Pazyfi eerie.

Dec. "'25 wzs. R ,47&3% T. A. PANGBURN PERMUTATION SWITCH FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed 00?. 31 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 aMu WM 775.2%znybwrn.

Dec. 25 1923. 1,473,394

' T. A. PANGBURN PERMUTATION SWITCH FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Qot. 51 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ill kick Patented Dec. 25, 1923..

Ldlddd rater TRUMAN A. FANG-BURN, F CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

PERIVIUTATIUN S'WITCI-I FOE AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed. October 31, 1921. Serial No. 511,636.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TRUMAN A. PANG- BURN, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l ermutation Switches for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a theft preventing device for automobiles and the main object of the invention conslsts 1n the introduction 01' an electric switch of the permutation or combination lock type, which cannot be operated to start an automobile, unless the right combination is known to the operator.

This switch is insertedin the wiring system between the coil box and the commutator, and it is preferably placed on the dashboard where it replaces the ordinaryswltch.

One advantage of this theft-proof switch is that no key is needed for setting itand that for the person who knows the combination the switch is easily operated at all times even in the dark.

In case an unauthorized person should attempt to run the automobile, he could not get the car started unless he knew the right combination, even if he were familiar with the construction of the switch. He might push down some of the buttons of the switch at random, but they would only cause ignition in some of the cylinders and this not in the right sequence, so that the engine would Figurel shows a sidev elevation of the.

device installed on a Ford engine;

Figure 2 is a side View partly in'section of the switch box;

Figure 8 is a top plan view and partial section of the same;

Figure e is a partial vertical section of the and stop the starter or give the person switch bog: with the push button or contact piece out of contact; I

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 with the push button out of contact and illustrating the manner of raising the same;

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram as seen from the top of the switch box and the related parts of the automobile.

In the drawings, the device has been illustrated and applied to a four cylinder Ford engine, epresented by the numeral 10. The engine is provided in the usual manner with the commutator 11, a coil box 12 and four spark plugs 18. On the dash 14, the switch box 15 is mounted facing the operator.

The switch box consists of a cylindrical casing 16 with a flanged bottom 17 adapted to be secured on the dash by means of screws 18. Within the casing 16 is secured a block 19 of insulating material and on the under side of this block are attached the terminals of the four circuits for the ignition of the four cylinders in the engine. This insulating block 19 is provided with a number of cylindrical apertures 20, in the drawings ten apertures being shown. Each or" the apertures contains a plug or push button 21 adapted to slide up and down in the aperture and provided on the outer side of its cylindrical surface with two spaced recesses 22 and 23 and on its inner surface with the single recess 24 which is of the same aXial extent as the two recesses 22 and 23 added together.

A lid or cover 25 closes the top of the cylindrical casing 16 and engages the top edge or" the casing by means of a rolled rim 26. The top of the cover 25 is provided with circular holes 27 equal in number to the push buttons 21 and adapted to register with them, when the cover is turned in a certain position. This turning of the cover is limited by a plurality of small lugs 28 secured in a depending wall 29 on the under side of the cover. L-shaped slots 30 are rovided on the sides or" the cylindrical caslng 16 for these lugs 28 so that the amount of turning of the cover on the casing is governed by the horizontal length of the L-shaped slots. Beside this turning movement, the cover can also be slightly raised in the axial direction of the casing, when the lugs 28 register with the shorter or vertical leg of the L-shaped slots 30. With the cover 25 turned to its limit, when the lugs 28 are at the right hand end of the horizontal leg of the L-shaped slots, the holes 27 stand between the push buttons 21, but when turned to its limit in the opposite direction until the lugs 28 strike the perpendicular wall of the short leg of the slots, each hole 27 in the cover 25 then registers with oneot the push'buttons 21.

The cylindrical wall 29 is of slightly smaller diameter than the wall of the casing 16, so that it fits snugly within the same and guides the cover in the casing. At the lower end of the wall 29, a ledge is pro vided, the edge of which has alternating teeth 31 and spaces 32.. These teeth 31 are intended to engage with either the upper or lower recesses 22 and 23 in the push buttons 21, and the teeth 31 are so arranged with relation to the holes 27 in the cover, that they will engage with one of the recesses 22 and 23 when the cover is in the position concealing the push buttons and will disengage these recesses, when the cover is turned so that the holes 27 register with the push buttons.

Opposite to the flange 80 is provided anotheu flange 33, which has a continuous edge, always in engagement with the inner recesses 2a in the push buttons. These flanges 33 form part of a plate 34: riveted on the under side of the cover 25.

Referring now to Fig. 2, this shows the upper recess 23 out one of the push buttons in engagement with one of the teeth 31, which means that the cover 25 is turned to its concealing position, as shown in Figure 3. By now turning the cover 25 into its revealing position, the tooth 31 will disengage the recess n3, which now will stand opposite a space 32 in the flange 80. As Figure 2 shows, the inner flange 33 is now in engagement with the top side of the recess 24: and by raising the lid, the push button 21 will be thrown out of contact and held, as shown in Figure 5. This takes place when the lug 28 registers with the vertical leg of the slot 30. By now pressing the cover 25 down. The push button 21 will be left in its disengaged or upper posi tion, as shown in Figure 5, and the flange 33 is free to pass to the lower end of the recess 24. As the push button at this time is out of engagement with its corresponding tooth 31, the latter will not prevent the push button from staying in its disengaged position and when the cover 25 reaches its lower position, as indicated in Figure 1, it can again be turned into its concealing position and lock the push buttons, as shown in Figure-3, when the lugs 28 travel'horizontally in the t-shaped slot 30.

Turning now particularly to Figure 6,

' representing a top plan view of the wiring,

the push buttons 21 are indicated in counterclockwise order by the numerals I to X. As already described, the bottom of the in.- sulating block 19 carries a portion of the wiring system for the primary circuits between the generator 35, coil box 36 and commutator or timing device 37. The secondary wiring is also shown in this figure for the four circuits between the coil box 36 and the four spark plugs 38, one for each cylinder of the engine '10. As illustrated in Figure 6, the combination selected for working the ignition system is made up by push buttons 1, IV, VI and IX and for convenience sake, the corresponding sections of the coil 00x36 have been similarly indicated, by the same numerals I, IV, VI and IX as have also the contact points in the commutator and the spark plugs 38 for the cylinders. Each of the push buttons is provided with a pair of contact fingers ll) which are intended to connect corresponding contact plates 41 and 42, when the push button is in its lowered position. The contact plate Q2 is connected by means of a wire l3 with section 1 of the coil box 36 and the contact plate a1 is by means of wire 4A connected with one end of a resistance coil 45, the other end of which coil is connected through wire 16 with contact point I on the commutator 37.

Push button IV is similarly connected to the section IV of the coil box bymeans of wire 4:7 and to contact point IV of the commutator 37 by means of wire 18, resistance 419 and wire 50. Push button VI has similar connection with the section VI of the coil box 36 through the wire 51 and with contact point Vllby' means of wire 52, re sistance 53 and wire 54.. Similarly the push button TX is connected with the section IX of the coil boX36 by means o1 wire '55 and with the contact point TX on the commutator 37 by means of the 'wire 56, resistance coil 57 and wire'58.

The secondary circuits are shown for connection between the sections 1, TV, VI and IX of coil box 36 and spark plugs 1, IV, VI and TX by means 01 wires 60, 6 1, 62 and 63 respectively. It will be noted that the tour circuits are provided with resistance coils 15, 19, 53 and 57 through which the current has to flow when the push buttons 1, IV, VI and IX have been depressed.

The additional push buttons II, III, V, VII, VIII and X are also connected with the circuits between the commutator and the coil box but they run more directly, so that no resistance will obstruct the flow of the current, when any of these additional push buttons are depressed.

Number 11 push button connects with the push button 111 by means of wire 65 and also by means 0t wire 66 with contact'point l of the commutator 37 through the inter-- mediary of the wire 46. The other contact plate for push button II is connected to the second of the contact plates of the push button III and push button IV bymeans of wires 67 and 68, so that it has connection with section IV of the coil box 36 through the wire 47. Push button V connects by means of wire 69 to the wire 55 and section IX of the coil box 36 on the onehand and through Wire and wire 50 with contact point IV of commutator 37. Push button VII has connect-ion with wire 54 through i buttons I, IV, VI and IX are pressed down,

and the commutator is revolving in the same order, the primary currents in coil sections I, IV, VI and IX of the coil box 36 will induce high tension currents in the secondary circuits to fire the cylinders in.

the same order, that is to say, actuate the spark plugs I, IV, VI and IX. If, on the other hand, one of these push buttons is left out in the combination and one of the additional ones substituted, the firing will not take place in the same sequence so that, for instance, if push buttons I, II, IV and VI were pushed down, the cylinder connected with spark plug IX would miss altogether and the cylinder connected with the spark plug IV would get ignition ahead of time,

which would cause the engine to kick and stop the starter, or, if the engine is being cranked, it might jerk the lever out of the mans hand or even break his arm. If, on the other hand, push buttons I, IV, V, VI were down, cylinder IX would be fired ahead of time. If push buttons I, II were down, the current would avoid the resistance 45 and in that case section IV of the coil box 36 would cause the spark to fire cylinder IV, that is to say, premature explosion would take place,

The operation of the device is as follows: The cover 25. normally standing in the position to conceal the push buttons and to lock them, is first turned to its revealing position and supposing the push buttons were all in their upper position, that is to say, out of cont-act, the pushbuttons I, IV, VI and IX are now pressed down leaving the others in their upper or disconnected positions. By now turning the cover back again to its normal or concealing position,

it will lock the four active push buttons I,

'- IV, and IX in their contact positions IV, VI and IX leaving the others in their disengaged position. As neither the upper nor the lower recesses 23 and 22 in the outer side of the'plugs at this time are in engagement with the teeth 31, the raised pushed buttons 21 will remain in that position, when the cover 25 is again pushed down and lastly turned into its normal position, then looking all the push buttons in their disen aged or upper positions by means of the teeth 31 engaging in the lower recesses 22 "in all of the push buttons.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A permutation switch for electric circuits including a switch element for each of said circuits arranged in sequence, additional switch elements arranged out of sequence, all of said switch elements being manually operated into active positions, means for bringing said switch elements in to inactive positions, other means for looking the switch elements in either of said positions, and a member adapted to control both .of said means.

2. A permutation switch for electric circuits including a push button for each of said circuits arranged in sequence and carrying a contact element adapted to close its respective circuit when pushed in, and break it when out, additional push buttons similarly constructed but arranged out of sequence, a casing in which all of said push buttons are mounted and through which said circuits are led, a. cover for said casing nor mally concealing said push buttons, said cover being movable on the casing for disclosing said push buttons, and means on said cover for securing said push buttons in either of their positions, said means adapted to disengage said push buttons when in disclosing position.

3. A permutation switch for electric cir' suits including a push button for each of said circuits arranged in sequence and carrying a contact element adapted to close its respective circuit when pushed in, and break it when out, additional push buttons similarly constructed but arranged out of sequence, a casing in which all 01"? said push buttons are mounted and through which said circuits are led, and a cover for said casing normally concealing said push buttons, said cover being slidable in the length direction of said push buttons and provided with an element engaging said push buttons to withdraw them from contact.

4:. A permutation switch for electric circuits including a push button for each of said circuits arranged in sequence and carrying a contact element adapted to close its respective circuit when pushed in, and break it when out, additional push buttons similarly constructed but arranged out of sequence, a casing in which all of said push buttons are mounted and through which said circuits are led, a cover for said casing normally concealing said push buttons, said cover being movable on the casing for disclosing said push buttons, and means on said cover for securing said push buttons in either of their positions, said means adapted to disengage said push buttons when in disclosing position.

5. A permutation switch for electric cir cuits including a push button for each of said circuits arranged in sequence and carrying a contact element adapted to close its respective circuit when pushed in, and break it when. out, additional push buttons similarly constructed but arranged out of sequence, a casing in which all of said push buttons are mounted and through which said circuits are led, a. cover for said casing normally concealing said push buttons, said. cover being revolubly mounted on said casing for disclosing said push buttons and slidable in axial direction of the push buttons, means on said cover for locking the push buttons when the cover is in normal position, and other means thereon for raising said push buttons when the cover is in disclosing position.

6. A permutation switch for electric cir cuits including a switch element for each of said circuits arranged in sequence, additional switch elements arranged out of sequence, all of said switch elements being manually operated into active positions, and means for bringing said switchelements into inactive positions, each circuit being provided with aresistance coil, each of said first switch elements, when in active position, adapted to cause the current to run through the respective resistance coil and each of said additional switch elements,

when in active position, adapted to cause the currents to avoid the resistance coil.

7. A permutation switch for electric circuits including a push button for each of said circuits arranged in sequence and' carrying a contact element adapted to close its respective circuit when pushed in, and break it when out, additional push buttons similarly constructed but arran ed out of sequence, a casing in which all of said push buttons are mounted and through which said circuits are v-led, acover for said casing normally concealing said push buttons, said cover being IHOVZllOlBOIl the casing for disclosing said push buttons, and means on said cover for securing said push buttons in either of their positions, said means adapted to disengage said push buttons, when in disclosing position, said means comprising a depending wall having teeth and said push buttons being provided with spaced recesses. adapted to engage with said teeth. v i

8. A permutation switch for electric circuits including a push button for each of said circuits arranged in sequence and carrying a contact element adapted to close its respective circuit when pushed in, and break it when out, additional push buttons similarly construct-ed but arranged out of sequence, a. casing in which all of said push buttons are mounted and through which said circuits are led, and a cover for said casing normally concealing said push buttons, said cover being slidable in the length direction of said push buttons and provided with means engaging said push buttons to withdraw them from contact, said means comprising a flanged depending wall and said push. buttons being provided with corresponding recesses adapted to engage with said flange.

9. A permutation switch for electric circuits including a push button for each of said circuits arranged in sequence and carrying a contact element adapted to close its respective circuit when pushed in, and break it when out, additional push buttons: similarly constructed but arranged out of sequence, a casing in which all of said push buttons are mounted and through which said circuits are led, a cover for said casing normally concealing said push buttons,-said cover being revolubly mounted on said casing for disclosing said push buttons and slidable in axial direction of the push buttons, means on said cover for locking the push buttons when the cover is in normal position, and other means thereon for raising said push buttons when the cover is in disclosing position, said push buttons having spacedrecesses and said locking means comprising teeth on said cover adapted to engage-with some of said recesses and said raising means including a flanged wall permanently projecting into others of said recesses.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

TRUMAN A. PANGBURN. [n s. l 

